There are 327 polling stations in Meghalaya’s border areas, some of which should make holding the upcoming Lok Sabha election a challenge.
The state’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), BDR Tiwari, informed that the Election Commission of India (ECI) held a meeting today with the Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police of all the states in the country.
Tiwari informed that during the meeting the issue of interstate borders were discussed for the conduct of free and fair elections.
“In respect of Meghalaya there are no specific issues. We already had an inter state meeting at the Chief Secretary level with Assam and all the agencies and officials and all logistics and issues have been taken up and there are no such issues. Meghalaya is ready to go for a free and fair and peaceful election,” the CEO said.
There are 187 polling stations along the border with Assam and another 140 along the Bangladesh border.
In the disputed areas with Assam, joint long range patrolling is being undertaken by the two states. There are also 164 polling stations in Meghalaya where polling officials have to travel through Assam to reach and this issue was raised during the Chief Secretary level meeting.
He also informed that so far the Election Department has seized liquor, drugs, cash and freebies worth a total of Rs 37.51 crore. Only Rs 4.06 crore of this was seized since March 16, ie since the introduction of the Model Code of Conduct. A whopping Rs 33.45 crore in cash and kind was seized before the MCC came into effect.
